The Prayer of Five Minutes

The Value of Time in Prayer

BY:Khan

It was already three o’clock in the afternoon, but Hasan was still comfortably seated in the TV lounge, completely absorbed in his favorite show. His elder sister, Umama, walked past and grew irritated at the sight.

“Hasan, you still haven’t prayed? The call to prayer was given right after one o’clock, and you’re still sitting here making excuses. If anyone asks, you say there’s time until five. If you had your way, you’d probably offer all the prayers together in one go, just to avoid making ablution again and again!”

Her sharp words, however, didn’t seem to bother Hasan in the least. Without even looking up, he replied calmly,
“Sis, this program ends around three-thirty. Once it’s over, I’ll pray.”

Frustrated, Umama went off to complain to their other sister, Raima. Unlike Umama, Raima was known for her calm temperament and gentle ways. After listening, Raima smiled and said softly,
“Let it be. Don’t worry. He’s coming to me for study after Asr prayer anyway. I’ll talk to him then.”


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The Conversation

That evening, Hasan sat down with Raima as usual, his schoolbooks spread out on the table. Before he could begin, Raima stopped him.
“No, Hasan. Today we will not study from your textbooks. Instead, we’re going to talk about something much more important—our real life and responsibilities. Tell me honestly, why don’t you pray on time?”

Hasan shifted in his seat. “Baji, look, we have so many things to do. Other activities, hobbies, and sometimes I just get busy. So I think, what’s the harm in finishing those things first and then offering my prayer later? After all, there’s still time left.”

Raima listened carefully and then spoke after a thoughtful pause.
“Hasan, you know very well why we pray. It’s not just a ritual. We pray to seek closeness to Allah Almighty, to connect with Him out of love. Now think—when Allah has commanded us to pray at a specific time, is it really right for us to ignore that and decide our own timing?

Imagine this. If a great and respected person invited you to meet him at a specific hour, would you dare to arrive late? Would you say, ‘I’ll come when I’m free’? No, of course not. Then who is greater than Allah? If we are ready to honor human schedules, shouldn’t we be more careful about the timings set by our Creator?”

Her words made Hasan lower his gaze, but Raima continued gently.
“Whenever the muezzin calls for prayer, every Muslim repeats those words after him. Do you know why? Because those words bring a wave of love and remembrance of Allah into the heart. And if we go to prayer in that very moment, our hearts are more likely to feel humility and sincerity. That is the real beauty of prayer.

Besides, Hasan, how long does a single prayer take? Ten to fifteen minutes—twenty at most. And in exchange for those few minutes, we gain the love and nearness of the Lord of the entire universe. Isn’t that the best bargain a human being could ever make?

If throughout our life we made the effort to pray at the appointed times every single day, both our worldly life and our afterlife would be blessed. That’s why our elders used to say: ‘Veley di namaz, veley diyan takraan’—a prayer performed on time is truly a prayer, while one delayed without reason is nothing but banging your head.

As Muslims, we shouldn’t adjust our prayer according to our work schedules. Instead, we should adjust our work according to prayer times. That’s the true spirit of Islam.

I hope, Hasan, that you will not only understand what I am saying but also put it into practice. Because knowledge without action is useless.”

Her voice was calm, yet firm with conviction.


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A Change of Heart

Hasan sat silently, his eyes fixed on the floor. He didn’t argue this time. After a few moments, he quietly gathered his things and left the room.

Umama saw him walking toward the gate and called out,
“Where are you off to now, Hasan?”

“To pray,” he replied briefly.

Surprised, Umama glanced at the clock. “But there’s still some time left before prayer!”

Hasan gave a small smile. “Only five minutes.”

And with that, both brother and sister burst into laughter. But deep down, Umama knew that Raima’s words had finally touched Hasan’s heart.

From that day onward, Hasan began to look at prayer not as a chore to be delayed but as a precious opportunity to honor his Creator’s time.


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Moral of the Story

This simple exchange between siblings carries a lesson for all of us. Prayer is not just about completing a duty; it is about discipline, love, and respect. When we prioritize prayer over our worldly distractions, we remind ourselves that nothing is greater than Allah’s command. The few minutes we spend in prayer have the power to bring peace into our hearts, order into our daily lives, and blessings into our future.

Timeliness in prayer is not about rigid rules; it’s about honoring the most important relationship in our existence—the relationship between the Creator and His creation.